IamMadlyInLoveWithJohnnyDepp: Don't worry, you'll get what you want soon ;)

Chapter 3. First day of work

Adam was still looking for Carla. He mused. She had asked him to meet her back at the counter after changing into his working clothes. But there was no-one to be seen far and wide. Except for the orderly and those two nutballs, he thought. He kept walking around, hoping to spot her somewhere soon. He was thinking.

Never had Adam seen men like Percy and Woofer. How in the world can someone act that silly, at that age!, he thought. He knew what they had wanted. They wanted to make fun out of him. But he wouldn't be toyed with. Adam knew very well how to defend himself.

He was that deep in thought, he didn't realize an office's door open, which slammed directly into his face.

Groaning in pain, he held his nose, swearing. He looked up with anger. "Hey, can't you watch what you're doing…!"

He stopped. He was looking directly into the face of Dr. Lawrence Gordon, the man he had to spy after! A handsome man in his early forties, looking at him with bewilderment. Adam blushed with shame. He knew that it was actually his own fault. He would have been the one to watch where he was going. He looked at the door. "Suite 104 – Dr. Lawrence Gordon" he read.

And suddenly, he spotted Carla behind him – with her shirt half unbuttoned, and her usually accurately bound hair all messy. And he knew at once, what was going on. He didn't even dare to look at her anymore, he looked at him instead.

Dr. Gordon grinned at him smugly. "Well, it wasn't my fault. Maybe next time, you'll be more careful. Excuse me now, I have work to do. Get back to work too, boy."

Adam was speechless. That arrogant bugger didn't even try to act as if he had any respect for him. He had grinned at him at once. Adam just wanted to raise his fist and punch it into his face, along with a victorious hooting.

With his head held high, Lawrence passed him majestically, with a clipboard under his arm, and unlike Carla, his hair was still tidy and his shirt was buttoned up completely. Carla blushed and looked at Adam.

"Uhm… I'm sorry I kept you waiting. I had to… discuss something important with him…" she lied. Adam was quite sure she knew that he knew what was going on. But she was still lying. Adam looked the way Lawrence went, glaring. "Such a jerk he is! Who does he think he is, he acts as if he's… the prince of Zamunda!" he complained. Carla buttoned up her shirt with embarrassment. "Well… he's being a little conceited sometimes, but actually he's very nice… maybe you have to get to know him a little better," she said.

"Get back to work, boy!" Adam imitated him, and shook his head. "Forget it. I don't wanna get to know such a vain, stuck-up prig!"

Carla sighed, smiled. "Well, enough of him. You wanted to start today. It's time for me to allocate your place of work."

Adam tried to give a friendly smile. "Sure, let's get it started."

She nodded. "And I've found something already. Here." She gave him a note saying 'Room 92'.

Adam looked at her. "This is where I have to go?"

She nodded again. "Exactly. At least for now. All of our orderlies take care of several patients, but you'll start with her today. Her name is Margaret McNeill, she's 61 years old and suffering from esophagitis."

Adam blinked and looked at her nervously. "Uh, what?"

"Something's wrong with her esophagus. But she's actually in good keeping. She's still full of zest for life." She recognized Adam's insecure expression, smiled at him sweetly. "Don't worry. The first day is always the hardest. But you're not alone. There's yet another orderly allocated for that lady, he'll help you with her and the other patients."

Adam felt sick at once. He looked at her with his eyes wide open. "Another orderly will be working with me?? Not cool, not cool at all! You know, I met two idiots today who…!"

Carla laughed. "You can do it! Come on, go! It won't be that bad!"

Adam sighed, put the note into his jacket pocket and started on his way. "Great. Thanks, Carla."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

„... and then my Albert always said that I was exaggerating! But you can't be careful enough these days! I mean, I can't let my Felicity eat every mouse and every bird she catches! That's just irresponsible!"

Zep nodded while he was throwing all the rubbish from the room into a bucket. "Yes. Sounds incredibly fascinating, Mrs. McNeill!"

She nodded. "That's just how it is, boy. But my Albert was always on her side, he always let her eat what she felt like! That's both unhygienic and unacceptable!"

Zep put the bucket onto the second shelf of the cart. "Indeed, Mrs. McNeill."

But before the old woman was able to continue, someone had knocked on the door. And before Zep was able to say anything, she had yelled "Come in!" already.

The door opened, and a young man with messy dark hair, quite pale skin and orderly clothing stepped in. Adam.

Zep stared at him. It was the young man he had met, who hadn't seemed to care about Percy and Woofer.

Adam looked at the two of them shyly. "Is this room 92?"

Of course it is, you idiot. It's standing on the door.

But he wanted to be sure. If he really had to work there, he didn't want to make a fool out of himself, especially not on the very first day.

Margaret laughed. "Yes, my boy! That's the right place! Have you been allocated as a new orderly here? Then that means I have another conversational partner! It's getting better here everyday!" she chuckled. She got up, approached Adam and hugged him tightly. "I'm so pleased to have you with us now! Believe me, it's going to be so funny!"

Adam desperately tried to breathe. "Y-yeah, the pleasure is mine, Ma'am!"

Suddenly, but much for Adam's relief, she let go of him. "Oh no… there's my weak bladder again… I'm sorry, sonny! I gotta leave for a few minutes!"

She ran to the door, and waved at them a last time. "I'll leave you two kittens to get better acquainted!"

Without saying another word, she had left the room.

Adam gulped, his eyes went to Zep. "Is that old hag always that wild?"

Zep shook his head smiling. "You get used to Margaret quite quickly. She's a little dashing against anyone new in the beginning, but it gets less after some time. Then she'll be telling you stories about her dead husband Albert and her persian cat Felicity. But you'll like her, she's very warm-hearted."

Adam raised a brow. This man seemed to have built up relationships to the patients already. Suddenly, he blinked. "Hey… I saw you. You were next to those two idiots!" he recognized.

"Oh, them." Zep sighed. "The orderly is Percy, and the janitor in grey is Warren."

"Percy?!"

Adam snorted with laughter. "Nothing can go well when you're called Percy!"

Zep blinked at him with his eyes all curious. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, just listen to his name! He's an idiot! Every idiot's name is Percy!"

Zep looked away from him out of embarrassment. "They really can take you down. Believe me, you should rather stay away from them."

He thought of Adam's sight, and blushed. An incredibly good-looking, bright young man, being allocated to work with him. Zep felt hot. He couldn't deny that he found his youthful spirit quite cute.

He turned back to him at once. "You know… if you ever need help, you can tell me. Margaret is not our only patient. Since we're apparently partners and colleagues now, I'd say you just have to be near me." He said, feeling confident for the first time since a long time. Adam was young and unexperienced concerning that job, and he was the very contrary. He would be the one to guide him.

He approached him, reached out his hand for him to shake, smiled. "I'm Zep."

Adam watched his hand, but then he smiled back and shook it. "Adam."

TBC…